Stand for flexible posters



May 14, 1929. HOFFMAN 1 7131182 STAND FOR FLEXIBLE POSTERS Filed Jan. 25', 1928 IN V EN TOR.

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Patented May 14, 1929.

UNITED STATES FRANK norrm, or NEW YORK, n. Y.

STAND FDR FLEXIBLE POSTERS.

Application filed January 25, 1928. Serial No.,249,226.

The objects of this invent-ion are'to provide a simple and inexpensive stand for flexible poster's which can be quickly set up, or taken down and which is suited to being rolled up and shipped with the poster.

Practical embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, whereinz,

Figure l is a broken and part sectional side elevation showing one form of the stand in use supporting a flexible poster.

Figure 2 is a side View of a different form oi the support.

Figure 3 is-a plan view showing the stand detached.

Figure d is a rear perspective View illustrating another form of the stand.

In the past it has been more or less customary to use thrust pieces and stretching members for holding the poster stretched taut and to provide a rearwardly extending prop or props for supporting the stretched poster in upright relation.

in the present invention, thrust pieces, stretching member's and props are all eliminated by the provision of a single stand having only two legs joined in angularly related fashion and connected with oppo site edges of the poster.

In the simplest form of the invention illustrated, that is, in Figure 4, the two legs oi. the stand, designated 5 and 6 respectively, are joined at an acute angle by having the tirst set in a socket 7 in the second and the ends of these two members are engaged in sockets 8, '9 in the under side of the top edge strip ll) and in the back of the lower edge strip ll of the poster 12.

The parts 5 and 6 are shown as rods or dowels, the lower rod 6 resting on the door or support on which the lower edge strip of the poster rests and the upper rod 5 inclining forwardly and serving as a support for the upper edge strip and the poster dependent theretrom. With this stand it is only necessar to insert the base rod 6 in the back of t e lower poster strip, then engage the lower end of the upright rod 5 in the socket at the rear end of the base rod and the upper end of the upright in the socket in the under side of the upper edge strip, The poster is just as easily taken down by sply pulli the upper edge strip oil the upper end the upright, pulling the upright out of its socket in the base. rod and en pulling the base rod out of its socket in the lower edge strip, whereupon the two pieces and 6 may be rolled with the poster. I

The two parts of the stand may be permanently and resiliently connected as by means of a coiled spring shown at' 13 in Figure 1 engaged. over the shouldered ends 14 of the rods or by a flat spring strip as shown at 15 in Figure 2 hingedly connected 1n slots 16 in the end ortions of the rods by rivets or similar astenings 17. This pivotlng action of the spring connecting strip is desirable because it permits the rods to be brought together in side' b'y side relation, as shown in Figure 3, for shipping purposes.

The spring force connecting the two rods as in Figures 1 and 2, is sufficient to sustain the rod 5 in raised relation supporting the weight of the poster so that it hangs straight, as indicated. When-the poster is of considerable height, the rod 5 may be made in two sections having a telescopic connection, as indicated at 18, enabling the rod to be drawn out to the proper length when it is in use and to be shortened when it is to be packed and rolled with the poster,

What is claimed is: 1. In combination with a flexible poster having an upper edge strip with a socket in the rearward under side of the same and a lower edge strip with a socket in the rearward side of" the same, a base prop engaged in the rearward socket in the lower edge strip and extending rearwardly therefrom to rest on the floor as a prop, a rod supported by the rearward end of said base prop, said rod being inclined forwardly over the base prop and engaged at its upper end in the socket in the under side of the upper edge stri and a spring connecting the lower and o the rod with the rearward end of the base prop.

2. As an article of manufacture, a supporting structure for flexible posters comrising supporting members having a comined length greater than the poster length engageable at opposite ends with the opposite edge portions of a flexible poster and a coiled spring-connecting the other ends of said members and bendable to permit said opposite ends of the members to be approached suficientl for engagement with the edge portions 0 the poster whereby said members may be confined by the poster in angular relation and projecting singularly from the back of such a poster both to hold 7 the poster in stretched'relation and to en- 7 gage a supporting surface 'at the back of I the poster to support the stretched poster on such surface.

3. The combination with a-flexible poster provided with edge strips having sockets faced to therear of the poster, of two rodlike members for supporting said flexible poster in extended relation, one of said rodlike members being rigidly engaged with tion at the back of the poster'and a s ring strips whereby to hold the edge strips apart connecting the approached ends of sai rig idly outstanding rod-like membersin angled relation, said spring being biased in a straightening direction and thereby exerting force to separate the ends of the rod-like members which are connected with the edge with the flexible body of the poster spread therebetween. t

4. The combination with a flexible poster rovided with edge strips having sockets i acedto the rear of the poster, of two rodlike members for supporting said flexible poster in extended relation, one of said rodlike members being rigidly engaged with the socket in one of the edge strips and extending rigidly to the rear of the ester, the other rod-like member being rigid y engaged with the socket in the other edge strip and extending rigidly to the rear of the poster, the rearward ends of said two rod-like members standing in closely approached relation at the back of the poster, a spring connecting the approached ends of said rigidly outstanding rod-like members in angled relation, said spring being biased in a straightening direction and thereby exerting force to se arate the ends of the rod-like members which are connected with the edge strips whereby to hold the-edge strips apart with the flexible body of .t he' poster spread therebetween, said spring being a coiled spring and the adjoining ends of fthe rod-like mem: bers being shouldered to. enter the opposite ends of said coiled spring to a predetermined extent.

5. The combination with a flexible poster provided with edge strips having sockets faced to the rear of the poster, of two rodlike members for supporting said flexible poster in extended relation, one of said rodlike members being rigidly engaged with the sockets in one of the edge strips and extending rigidly to the rear of the oster, the other rod-like member being rigi ly enga ed with the socket in the other edge strip an extending rigidly to the rear of the poster, the rearward ends of said two rod-like members standing in closely approached relation at the back of the poster, a spring connecting the approached ends of said rigidly outstanding rod-like members in angled relation, said spring being biased in a straightening direction and thereby exerting force to separate the ends of the rod-like members which are connected with the edge stripswhereby to hold the edge strips apart with the flexible body of the poster spread therebetween, one of said rod-like members consisting of telescopically related parts which can be separated more or less to increase the bending force on the spring.

' 6. In combination with a flexible poster having edge strips, rods each having one end engaged with one of said edge strips and a tubular open-ended spring connector engaged over the opposite ends of said rods, said connector being bendable to resiliently join the rods with their adjoining ends in acutely angled relation and their separated ends holding the edge strips spread apart with the poster material stretched therebetween:

7. The combination with a flexible poster, of two relatively rigid rod-like members for supporting said flexible poster in extended relation, one 'end of one of said rod-like members being engaged with one edge ortion of the flexible poster and one end 0 the other rod-like member bein engaged with the opposite edge portion of the poster and a springconnecting the remaining ends of said rod-like members in angled relation projecting angular-1y from the poster and exerting a force to separate these ends of the rod-like members which are connected with the edge portions of the poster, to thereby hold the poster stretched taut under the ten sion of said spring.

In testimony whereof I afiix' my signature.

FRANK HOFFMAN. 

